Golf cup retaining holder

ABSTRACT

A golf cup retaining holder is provided within which is supported a conventional golf cup for use on greens made of artificial grass. The retaining holder is positioned intermediate the artificial green and underlying base over which the artificial green is installed and includes a flat channeled disc member having a central opening. The disc is adapted to be secured to the back side of the artificial green with the central opening over the hole. The channels serve to vent the area beneath the artificial green to the atmosphere. A cylindrical member extends downward into the hole and supports a golf cup.

United States Patent Boyes [541 GOLF CUP RETAINING HOLDER 681,672 9/1901 Andrews. 2,344,794 3/1944 Vallinos ..47/38.1

[ 1 Feb. 22, 1972 3,511,501 5/1970 Sandberg ..273/34 R Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney-Cameron, Kerkam & Sutton [57] ABSTRACT A golf cup retaining holder is provided within which is supported a conventional golf cup for use on greens made of artificial grass. The retaining holder is positioned intermediate the artificial green and underlying base over which the artificial green is installed and includes a flat channeled disc member having a central opening. The disc is adapted to be secured to the back side of the artificial green with the central opening over the hole. The channels serve to vent the area beneath the artificial green to the atmosphere. A cylindrical member extends downward into the hole and supports a golf cup.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures GOLF CUP RETAINING HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, several varieties of artificial grass have been developed that will withstand permanent outdoor installation and the abuse caused by spiked or cleated shoes. The ability of artificial grass to withstand this abusive wear, to resist deterioration when exposed to the elements and to closely resemble natural grass has substantially enhanced the desirability of artificial grass for use in substantially arid areas and areas where natural grass requires a substantial investment in maintenance.

Golf greens and putting greens are representative of outdoor installations which are particularly desirable as end uses for artificial grass, and several gold courses have replaced their greens with artificial grass over the past several years.

In preparing a typical artificial green a clay base is first installed on top of the subsoil. Sand or another suitable padding is placed on top of the clay base, and the artificial grass is stretched across the sand surface and anchored. A hole is cut in the artificial grass and into the clay base at the desired location and a golf cup is placed in position. The golf cup is generally provided with means for draining the cup to prevent the accumulation of water therein, as well as a ball holder which precludes the golf ball from dropping clear to the bottom when it is dropped in the cup. The cup also includes a flag holder for receiving the hold number identifying flag. By way of example, one suitable cup is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,608,744. Artificial or synthetic grass for such installations may be of the type described in US. Pat. No. 3,332,828, but preferably is of the type commercially available from World Carpets of Dalton, Georgia and sold under the name of Village Green."

Experience has shown that the use of artificial grass on golf greens as above described has presented problems not herebefore existent with natural greens. To this end, because the artificial green is made from a synthetic product which may comprise tightly tufted or woven nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, saran or may be of a molded construction, air from beneath the artificial green cannot readily escape. Because of this air locking or air trapping tendency, a sudden change in ambient temperature causes a heat buildup beneath the green and consequent expansion of gases causing the artificial green to balloon. This, of course, is disconcerting even to the duffer, and renders in such situations the greens unsuitable for play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a gold cup retaining holder is provided which vents the area beneath an artificial green to the atmosphere. The retaining holder also serves to lock the green to the subsurface in the area of the hold and also provides a golf cup of the character which provides a ball holder that precludes the golf ball from dropping to the bottom when it is dropped in the cup and also permits drainage of water into the subsoil below the level of the clay base.

DRAWINGS Other objects of the present invention and the attendant advantages will be readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf cup retaining holder of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the golf cup retaining holder illustrated in position beneath a green with a golf cup in place.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, wherein like parts throughout the several views are identified with like reference characters, numeral designates generally the golf cup retaining holder of the present invention which is fabricated from a polyvinyl chloride or other rigid synthetic plastic or nonmetallic material adapted to resist deterioration from exposure to the elements. Holder 10 comprises a cylindrical section 11 and upper flat flange section 12 or disc having a central aperture adapted to be disposed in coaxial alignment with a green hole.

The cylinder and flange sections may be molded integral or fabricated separately in which case the flange 12 may be secured by a suitable adhesive either to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder adjacent its uppermost end as viewed in FIG. 1 or to the flat uppermost edge surface 13 as viewed in FIG. 2. Where the flange is secured on the edge surface, the internal diameter of the aperture in the flange section is made equal to the internal diameter of the cylinder.

The top face of the flange, as viewed in the drawing, is

slotted to provide one or more radially extending grooves or channels 14. Preferably, eight channels, each 45 apart, are provided. When the flange 12 is made separate from the cylinder 11, the cylinder is also provided with a corresponding number of slots that are aligned with the slots formed in the flange to provide a continuous passageway from the interior 15 of the cylinder 11 to the outer peripheral edge of the flange.

Advantageously, the cylinder is approximately 2 feet in length so that the cylinder extends well below the subsoil to allow for drainage of water. The internal dimensions are such as to receive a conventional golf cup 16 of the type, for example commercially available from Standard Manufacturing Co. of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Golf cup 16 is also fabricated of a synthetic material and comprises a cylinder which is tapered inwardly toward its lower end as viewed in the drawing. A flag holder 17 is centrally positioned therein and held in place by a plurality of extending radial ribs 18 molded to the cylinder. Ribs 18 are conveniently spaced to permit water, loose gravel or other small pieces of debris to fall to the bottom of the hole.

In order to snugly receive the cup 16 within the holder and maintain it in position, the internal surface 19 of cylinder l l is machine tapered and a shoulder 20 is formed on which the golf cup rests. In the preferred embodiment, cylinder ll is approximately 2 feet in length, has an internal diameter of slightly over 4 inches and has an external diameter of 4V2 inches. Flange 12 also has an internal diameter of slightly over 4 inches and an external diameter of 7% inches, with flange 12 being secured on the top surface or rim of the cylinder, The flange is provided with eight radial notches or slots at 45 intervals of one-eighth-inch depth and one-eighth-inch width. Approximately, the top 6% inches of the internal surface of the cylinder is machine tapered from 4.3125 inches to 4.150 inches. This provides a ledge of 0.1625 inches for the cup to rest on. Although the dimensions are given exactly, it should be apparent that conventional machine tolerance is allowed for in the fabrication of the elements.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is disclosed a typical installation of the golf cup retaining holder in accordance with the present invention. The artificial green is prepared by first installing a clay base 21 over the ground or subsoil 22. After the base is sufficiently rolled flat, a sand layer 23 is formed. The sand acts as a padding for the artificial grass 24 which is then stretched thereacross. Before stretching the artificial grass, a suitable hole 25 is dug in the subsoil and the golf cup retaining holder 10 is positioned in place. The holder is set between the sand and the backing 26 of the artificial grass green. A suitable glue or adhesive is applied to the face of the flange in all but the area of the notches so that the artificial green is secured to the flange in the area of the hole. This serves to anchor the green to the ground and prevents an upward lip from being formed.

Upon changes in temperature, any expansion of air which takes place beneath the artificial green will then escape through the channels and into the atmosphere as indicated by the arrows. Care should be taken when applying the adhesive not to block the channels which communicate with the atmosphere.

In summary, the golf cup retaining holder embodied in the present invention avoids the problem of ballooning of artificial grass greens by venting the area beneath the artificial grass green to the atmosphere. While the invention has been described in connection with a single preferred embodiment, it is believed that various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. For example, size of elements and choice of materials used for the golf cup retaining holder may be varied to meet the specific requirements demanded for individual circumstances. Accordingly, it is not intended to limit the invention to the described preferred embodiment, and reference should be made to the appended claims to determine the full scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A golf cup retaining holder adapted to be positioned beneath an artificial green for venting to the atmosphere the area under the green comprising an elongate cylinder open at both ends and having an outwardly extending flat angular flange member at one end thereof, the interior of said cylinder being tapered to provide a gradually decreasing inside diameter from said one end along a portion of the length of said cylinder, a shoulder formed in the interior of said cylinder at the termination of said taper for snugly supporting a golf cup having an outside surface correspondingly tapered to the interior tapered surface of said cylinder, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial grooves, each extending between the outermost periphery of the flange and the interior of the cylinder for providing continuous venting passages for the area under the green.

2. A golf cup retaining holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said radial grooves are spaced at 45 intervals and have a depth measurement of approximately one-eighth inch and a width measurement of approximately one-eighth inch.

3. A golf cup retaining holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylinder is fabricated from a weather deterioration resistant, synthetic, plastic material. 

1. A golf cup retaining holder adapted to be positioned beneath an artificial green for venting to the atmosphere the area under the green comprising an elongate cylinder open at both ends and having an outwardly extending flat angular flange member at one end thereof, the interior of said cylinder being tapered to provide a gradually decreasing inside diameter from said one end along a portion of the length of said cylinder, a shoulder formed in the interior of said cylinder at the termination of said taper for snugly supporting a golf cup having an outside surface correspondingly tapered to the interior tapered surface of said cylinder, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial grooves, each extending between the outermost periphery of the flange and the interior of the cylinder for providing continuous venting passages for the area under the green.
 2. A golf cup retaining holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said radial grooves are spaced at 45* intervals and have a depth measurement of approximately one-eighth inch and a width measurement of approximately one-eighth inch.
 3. A golf cup retaining holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylinder is fabricated from a weather deterioration resistant, synthetic, plastic material. 